What's next?
by mygiu
Summary: Set right after "The Desert". What's next for Mindy and Danny? 5 "When"s that describe at least how the rest of that night pans out.


When the doors from gate 9 of La Guardia airport opened up, the first thing you could see were a man and a woman, standing purposefully away from each other and looking down at the floor. You could still read shock on her features, and a little embarrassment as well, but he – oh he -… he looked like a massive wave had hit him straight in the chest, knocking that eternal, chivalrous composure right off him.

They strode side by side, looking away, their minds still stuck on that goddamned plane, where they had – only a few hours ago – been interrupted by a stewardess.

And by interrupted I mean that they bumped into her on their way to the plane's bathroom.

And by that I mean they were both so intertwined in each other's arms that they started walking backwards and knocked her and the drinking cart she was pushing right into the ground.

Had they not been reprimanded and sent back to their seats… well, things would have turned out differently, to say the least. But they_ were_ reprimanded, and they _were_ sent back to their seats, and they didn't utter another word for the remainder of the trip. Which was awful, by the way, and full of "bumps in the road" and full of accidental hand-grabs (followed by alarmed looks, clothes-smoothing and hand sweating. All in that order).

So now, there they were: luggage in hand, walking together, panicking together, and basically wanting to find a safe spot to bury their heads and disappear from the world.

When they got to the nearest taxi stop they looked at each other for a second, and Danny hailed a cab. "Do you want to share…?" he suggested. "Uhm… I… _no_" Mindy blurted out, and then got so nervous that the only logical step next was to run off and take the first cab that pulled to the sidewalk. So she did. As the taxi sped away into the city, Danny couldn't do anything but gawk at it, frozen in place.

* * *

When Danny got out of the cab, the first thing he saw was Mindy standing on the steps of his brownstone home. He felt the air in his chest evaporate, and his throat tighten. _Oh boy_… this was going to be either really bad, or really _good_.

He took his luggage from the cabby and paid him, all without breaking eye contact with Mindy. Danny approached her, the distinct feeling of anticipation building up inside him. "Look, before you say anything…" Danny started. "Danny, no, wait. Listen… I can't go home." He took a breath. "Why not?" No response. "Mindy…"

Her eyes were shut, and she spoke hurrying the words out of her with a twinge of guilt, so they would hurt him less. "Cliff" Danny groaned "Cliff is in there waiting for me. He texted… He said he would wait up and I can't… I can't go home."

Danny looked beyond disappointed, but also confused. "So what? Isn't that what you wanted? Your man-trap worked. Why are you avoiding him?" To be honest, he asked this half cocky half expectant. Mindy gave him a dirty, angry look. Was he actually going to make her say it? "In light of certain events, well…" She rolled her eyes and raising her hands in frustration "I can't deal with him right now, okay? And I was hoping… I could stay here."

His eyes brightened involuntarily but he hesitated. This didn't look as good as it sounded. "Really?"

She narrowed her eyes and spat out "What?". Danny walked over to her side and dropped his luggage at her feet. "I don't know, "in light of certain events"…" he suggested.

"I know. Trust me Danny; this isn't my first choice either but…" Mindy stopped long enough to remind herself she was here to ask for a favor and therefore should be more charming than antagonistic. "Well… Gwen lives out of the city and Alex is away on business. And I can't show up at the hospital with my bags. They love gossip, you know?" Danny just stared right back with a deadpan expression. Of course he knew: She was their queen bee. "I just… I didn't know where else to go…" And just when Danny was about to speak, a smug smile reaching his lips she added: "And don't you even dare throw a line like _"Couldn't keep away, could you?" _because I will murder you, I swear."

Danny placed a hand on her shoulder. "I would never do that" he said earnestly, but didn't add anything else. He just stared, analyzing her and the moment before them. She shifted her weight from one feet to the other, impatient. "So? You gonna make me beg you Castellano?"

"Fine" He said this with defeat, and proceeded to reach for his keys. "Fine what?" She had to be sure she was not forcing this, by forcing this. "Fine, you can stay. Whatever." He answered as he climbed up the stairs. Mindy stood in place though, one question left on her mind. "And you promise we are not going to discuss…?" Danny understood, but did not turn back to face her. He just opened the door and gestured her to come in. "Apparently not" He finally let out with a frustrated sigh.

* * *

When Danny opened the door to his apartment he immediately flicked the lights on. He could not stand the silence between them on the elevator ride, much less being alone in the dark with her. He strode to his bedroom quickly, avoiding her gaze and the entire awkward moment this was going to be. She left her luggage near the door and continued to pace around the flat, deciding then to sit on the couch to sort of wait for instructions to follow. Mindy was determined to stay coy and accept Danny's rules, even if he had been the one to put her on this spot in the first place. It was, after all, his house and it was the only available place to spend the night. After a few minutes Danny reappeared with a pillow and a blanket, already wearing his old college shirt and sweatpants. He cleared his throat to get her attention. "Okay, it's all set up. I'll sleep here" He was squeezing the cover like a safety blanket, and it was obvious he was trying to avoid her face. The Italian genes gave him up right away; he was pissed. "No Danny, don't be stupid, I'll…" She wasn't going to let this be all about him. "Really, it's fine" Had he just cut her out? Mindy was startled at this fake, ferocious chivalry. She stood up and met his gaze. "Okay. That's rude. Enough. Really, I'm fine here." She snatched the pillow and the blanket away from him "This way I can leave tomorrow without having to wake you."

"Okay, fine. Whatever." He turned away to go, aware he was acting like a teenage brat on a guilt trip. But he was just _so _drained… he had used up all his energy and braveness for the day and could not bear to fight it out any longer. "Goodnight"

Before he could reach the door of his bedroom he heard Mindy stepping towards him. "I'm sorry I ran away at the airport… I didn't… I don't know what to do. And then I get the message from – " "It's fine. Just… can you please not mention him?" He turned his head around, and Mindy could see the frustration in his eyes. "Sure, sorry."

Danny went over to the kitchen table and opened a cabinet, pulling a casserole out. Mindy watched in confusion as he took a small package from the pot and placed it back on its place. Walking back to her side Danny took out a cigarette from the package and lit it. "Okay, um… If at any point of the night you want the bedroom just let me know; I'll switch." Without taking his eyes off her, he took a deep drag and let out a puff. Mindy was fuming: He was visibly strained, okay, but he was also visibly trying to rub it in her face. She sat on the couch and arranged her pillow like she didn't have a care in the world. "Well, I'm fine here." "Suit yourself" He answered, and returned to his bedroom.

* * *

When Danny felt the door of his bedroom slid open at 4 a.m., his eyes darted to the person tip toeing towards the bed. "You okay?" He spoke with a croaked voice, his throat still dingy from the cigarette. "Yeah, I… that couch is horrible Danny. I don't know how you manage to sleep on it. I mean, where did you buy it? At a Staten Island flea market?" Danny propped himself up on one elbow. "Okay, enough with couch bashing. Let's switch". Mindy rushed to his side. "No. Wait, no! Stay here" Danny stood still and looked at Mindy, his eyebrows raised in disbelief. Mindy understood. "Not like that you pervert! NOTHING - do you hear me? – _Nothing _is gonna happen. But…" She lowered her voice "… this _is_ your house and I'm a guest… and that couch is horrible! So just, stay on your side of the bed and let me sleep here for a couple of hours." Danny rubbed his eyes, still groggy. "You sure?" Mindy went to close the door of the bedroom. "Yes, Danny. Now scoot over, please. I'm freezing over here." Danny sat up and slid towards the right side of the bed. When Mindy turned around and saw him she sighed. "Further" She demanded. "Mindy, if I move an inch more I'll fall right off the bed, c'mon." Mindy groaned and walked over to the left side of the bedroom, knocking off her slippers and opening the comforter and sheets so she could hop in.

In his mind, Danny had always pictured this moment as a prelude to a milestone in their relationship (if they ever did get there), and while this clearly differed from his fantasies, he was still baffled by the sight of Mindy entering his bed. He swallowed hard and looked away, worried his body might… well; get the wrong idea, so to speak.

Mindy settled herself on the edge of the bed reticently, hogging the sheets to cover herself right up to her nose. Seeing as every word out of his mouth caused him trouble, Danny decided to stay silent as she did her ritual of tossing and turning until finding that perfect, cushy spot of the mattress to lie in.

Once she stopped moving though, it got worse: They could hear nothing but each other's undoubtedly anxious breaths, and then all of a sudden, they overheard the neighbors. More specifically, they overheard a spring bed squeaking back and forth. This, plus their proximity and the intimacy of the situation seemed to hang like a huge, electric elephant in the room. "Do you want me to set the alarm?" Danny asked innocently, trying to lighten the mood. "Um, sure. Seven-ish?" He turned around to face her "Okay. Let me get the clock." Danny leaned towards her side, stretching his arm over her head and leaving Mindy's face dangerously close to his chest. The scent of his pine cologne sent shivers down her spine and her reminiscing their intense make-out session, and the sensation of his hands all over her body. Then she snapped out of it, and freaked out. "What are you doing?!" Danny looked down at her and realized his compromising position. He still tried to lean further. "I'm getting the clock, crazy! I always leave it on the opposite nightstand so it isn't so easy for me to turn off and oversleep. " Mindy nodded sheepishly. "Oh… Well, get away! I'll set it." She nudged him softly on the ribs with her elbow. He backed away then, turning to his side to hide his awakening "buddy". _God, this could not be going any worse, they both thought._ "Done. Goodnight Daniel." They both remained on opposite sides of the bed, their backs facing each other. "Goodnight Mindy."

* * *

A good half hour later, and just when they were both starting to drift off, Mindy's phone began to vibrate on the nightstand, sending a beaming light into the bedroom. Then it buzzed again: One, two, three times. "Who calls at this hour?" Danny complained with a groggy voice. "Hmmm" whispered Mindy. The cellphone buzzed again. "Mindy, please turn that thing off, or pick up, or do something..." Mindy opened one eye and patted around the table, finding the phone at last. She looked at the bright screen.

"_CLIFF – 4:30 AM: Are you ok? Has your flight been delayed? I'm worried."_

Mindy groaned in exasperation, and hit "reply".

"_MINDY – 4:33 AM: Long story. Don't worry. Sleep. I'll see you tomorrow"_

"Who is that?" Danny had turned his head around, but Mindy hadn't, still clutching the phone on her hands. "You know who it is" He smiled. "Oh… What are you going to do?" The phone vibrated again.

"_CLIFF – 4:34 AM: Okay. I'll meet you here. XOXO"_

"I don't know Danny" Danny sat on the bed, his back against the headboard. "You don't know as in,_ "it's almost 5am and I'm jetlagged" _or you haven't… made up your mind?"

Mindy swallowed: so this conversation was going to happen after all. "Well… back on the plane… why did you do that?" Danny took his time to think of the best answer, without giving himself away completely. "Mmm… it was about time… Don't you think?" Mindy bit her lip. "So it was those now or never kind of situations…?" Danny thought this through, and the ramifications of that comment "Sort of, yes." Maybe Mindy was tired, or maybe she could not grasp the meaning of that answer, but all she could answer was "Ok". She put the phone down and settled herself to sleep some more. Danny did not move though, contemplating the room around them for a while. After a few minutes he mustered up some courage and said: "Look, I'm sorry if this is hard for you to hear but – just in case I am a small factor in your decision-making - … I… I'm… interested." Danny waited for a response, but there was none. _Maybe she is asleep_, he thought. He lied down again and now they were both in fetal positions, back to back. _At least she is here now._

* * *

When Mindy woke up that morning, she found Danny's face centimeters away from her. Perhaps it was because he looked like a child, lightly snoring, so peaceful-looking. Or maybe she thought it was a dream. Or possibly her inhibitions were down, but the point is - she touched his face. No, scratch that. She _caressed_ his face. She lightly traced little patterns on his forehead, brushing away the messy dark hair that covered his eyes, and tried to take in all of him: his sounds, the scent of his skin, the heaviness of his hand against the pillow. He was almost unrecognizable, but she liked this. In fact, she liked this as much as she had liked his vulnerability on the plane. It was a whole new side of him she never thought she'd known. It had confused her at first, but now there was something more… something maybe she had been avoiding for a while.

After a few minutes, she noticed the time on his wristwatch and her stomach churned a little at the thought of leaving. But she had to. She had things to do.

Mindy got out of bed and got dressed up quietly, trying her best not to disturb him. When she was about to leave, she saw something and retraced her steps. Taking a post-it out of his fridge, she wrote something down. She sneaked in his bedroom once again and approached him. With a silent touch she stuck the note on his forehead and left, giggling softly.

The note read:_ "Dear Danny. I'm interested too... I'll see you later. xoxo"_


End file.
